UNMIK Headlines 12 August
Thaçi: Telecommunication and energy a done deal for Kosovo (dailies)
Koha Ditore quotes Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, as saying that Belgrade is still hesitating to accept the achieved agreement in Brussels on telecommunication and energy but he emphasized that as far as Pristina and Brussels are concerned, this issue is closed. Thaçi made the statement on Sunday in Ferizaj where he inspected three infrastructure projects in the city. However, he expressed hope that in the coming days, Belgrade will accept the agreement of European standards.
Serb votes outside Kosovo will be collected in Serbia (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the denomination “Republic of Kosovo” in the voting ballots designed by the Central Election Commission (CEC) for Kosovo local elections of 3 November has frustrated Serbs who are threatening with boycott of elections if they are requested to vote using such ballots. While the leaders of CEC continue to insist that there will not be any differences in the form and contents of ballots, other members of CEC have expressed fear that there are preparations underway to employ special procedures for the voting of Serbs which will not be related to CEC and will be neutral towards Republic of Kosovo. “The fact that the head of CEC, Valdete Daka, after her arrival from Brussels has mentioned that parties have agreed that OSCE is to collect application and voting ballots outside Kosovo for these municipalities in a collecting center in Serbia shows in the best way what is being cooked,” said the member of CEC, Alban Krasniqi.
Economic division of the north (Tribuna)
The north of Kosovo has all the required elements to be economically independent from the government of Kosovo. Economy experts are concerned that if during the discussions between Kosovo and Serbia, Trepça, Ujman, energy, telecommunication and the fund for the north are left as independent units to the north, then this part will become a state on its own. Director of the Center for Strategic and Social Research, Ibrahim Rexhepi, considers that the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia are not taking place in the direction of finding solutions but of division or, as he put it, towards creation of autonomy for Serbs which would function based on the model “a state within a state.”
Serb police don’t want training (Zëri)
Transfer of members of Serbian MUP into the Kosovo Police it seems will be a “hot potato” for the parties involved in the negotiating process. The Kosovo side insists that Serbs from the north that will be integrated into the Kosovo Police should undergo training at the police academy in Vushtrri while the Serbian side claims the MUP members need no further training and if they do need additional guidance on certain matters, the training should be provided by EULEX international officials.
“The training will be carried out the same as with all those that will be part of the Kosovo Police structure,” said Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi adding that this has also been agreed upon by the two prime ministers during Brussels talks.
Pristina waits for Pavicevic (Tribuna)
Sources told the paper that Kosovo Government, through the EU Office, has asked the head of the Serbia’s liaison office in Kosovo, Dejan Pavicevic, to communicate to Belgrade institutions in order to facilitate movement of Kosovo citizens to Serbia. In the recent days there have been long lines at the border between Kosovo and Serbia with many Kosovo immigrants returning home and travelling through Serbia. One of the problems the citizens face at the crossing points is when they present the new birth certificates issued by Kosovo authorities which Serbia doesn’t recognize.
Ivanovic: Kosovo wants only few Serbs to take part in elections (dailies)
Former Secretary for Kosovo in Government of Serbia and Kosovo Serb leader, Oliver Ivanovic, said that Kosovo is not interested for the participation of Serbs in local elections of 3 November. According to him, Pristina is doing everything to make sure that the turnout of Serbs is as small as possible while the agreements have not been achieved and there will be little time for their implementation. “OSCE in Serbia has sent the voting lists in Kosovo. This is good, but there are many complications,” said Ivanovic for Tirana-based Top Channel.
Janjic: Serbs to take part in elections (dailies)
Serbian political analyst Dusan Janjic said that Kosovo Serbs have a duty to take part in local elections as this is an obligation that derives from the Brussels agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers. “By taking part in elections of 3 November, Serbs will have the only opportunity to take part in the local governance of their community,” said Janjic.
Kosovo Embassy’s plaque in Sweden damaged (dailies)
Unknown persons have damaged the Kosovo Embassy’s plaque in Sweden by writing Serb symbols. The Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the act and said that Swedish authorities came to the scene and launched investigations.